Rieju Century 125 2019 — Specifications

Rieju has come a long way. The Catalan brand, long confined to small-displacement off-road motorcycles, is attempting a real shift with two 125s with very distinct characters. The Strada for eating up the kilometers, the Century for posing. And it is the latter that attracts the eye, with its living room scrambler silhouette that makes you want to ride forest paths in city shoes.

The problem, or rather the elephant in the room, is that the Century doesn’t really hide its origins. A glance at the FB Mondial Hipster, and doubt quickly sets in. Even the 15 horsepower single-cylinder four-stroke developing its peak at 9750 rpm, even the steel tube frame, even the 40 mm inverted fork, even the spoked rims, even the wave discs. Rieju clearly drew on the Italian brand's catalog to build its Century. That said, the effort to differentiate is real: more retro-style fuel tank, raised handlebars for a more relaxed riding position, engine guard oriented towards protection rather than aesthetics, lowered exhaust line. The result is less flashy than the Mondial, but also less pretentious. And the price follows the logic: 3,599 euros, against considerably more for the Italian model. That’s not nothing.

On paper, the 15 horsepower and 12.7 Nm of torque at 7500 rpm place it in the good average for a current 125. The six-speed gearbox, enduro tires in 100/90-18 at the front and 130/80-17 at the rear, and the 135 kg dry weight sketch the portrait of a light and agile machine. The 18-liter tank offers correct autonomy for mixed city-road use. The maximum speed of 130 km/h makes it perfectly usable on the highway, even if no one will ask it to compete with an MT-125 or a KTM 125 Duke on a national road.

It is precisely there that lies the whole logic of the Century. It is not there to fight with chronometers with the urban sport bikes from Yamaha or KTM. It chooses another trajectory, that of assumed style and retro-neo positioning at an accessible price. In this segment, it crosses machines that are much softer mechanically, 125s with a vintage image carried by underpowered engines. Here, the Rieju engine really makes the difference: modern, well-finished, responsive. It’s not a detail when you spend hours in the saddle.

The target audience is the young A1 license holder who refuses the anonymity of a scooter or the graphic brutality of an aggressive roadster. It is also the adult re-permitting who wants to rediscover the pleasure of riding without going broke or ending up with a motorcycle that is too intimidating. The Century 125 offers them an honest contract: a serious engine, a distinct style, a reasonable price. Not enough to revolutionize the category, but sufficient arguments to exist without having to justify themselves.